A rollercoaster playoff game featuring the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night ended in an icy heartbreaker.

The "Cardiac Bears" struck again with 18 seconds to go, as Caleb Williams threw 14 yards to Cole Kmet for a touchdown. The Bears went on to tie the score at 17 and forced overtime.

Although officially a 14-yard pass, the ball traveled 51.2 yards in the air, according to the NFL's Next Gen Stats.

The first team to score was to win the game. It seemed to be looking good for the Bears during their first possession, until an interception by the Rams, and finally, a 42-yard field goal by the Rams' Harrison Melvis.

And that was it. The Bears lost. Maybe this quote is a little overused these days, but it's appropriate here — it's certain that some barrooms, basement rec rooms, and other viewing venues were like the fo'c'sle of a tramp steamer with oaths and curses going up.

Nevertheless, it must be said that the Bears didn't fold. They fought until the very end. And it was that kind of finish that defined this season for the Bears — late drama, big plays, and a team that never quit.

Time after time, the Bears made the fourth quarter a must-watch — living up to that "Cardiac Bears" moniker and leaving fans on the end of their seats until the last clock ran out.

That was the case Sunday night too, but the game did not end up going the Bears' way. At Soldier Field, one could hear the roar of the crowd at the end of the fourth quarter, compared to the deafening silence when the game ended.

Fans walked out with their heads down, but there were more fans with thumbs up. Some were even saying "the Packers still suck" rather than "Bears suck" because, in true Chicago fashion, there was a sense of optimism after a miraculous storybook season that involved a playoff victory against the Green Bay Packers just eight days before this heartbreak.

"Disappointed — I mean, when you watch the end of that game, you think they're going to come back, because they keep doing it," said Joe Pohl. "But it is what it is. Second year with Caleb, first year with Ben, you can't…."

As Pohl spoke to CBS News Chicago, someone chimed in to say, "Green Bay still sucks."

"See? Exactly," Pohl said. "Green Bay still sucks."

Fans looked back on a successful season, even if that success ended up having its limits.

"It's a great season for the Bears. I'm excited for what the future holds with Ben Johnson and Caleb Williams," said Kevin Mora. "Bear down, baby."

At least one fan will be savoring the moment when Williams made the pass that tied the game with less than half a minute to go — even though things went south for the Bears in overtime.

"Oh my God, Superman couldn't make that pass. It was crazy! I'll go home and watch it — 3 o'clock in the morning, I'll be watching that play," said Roger Wilson. "I'm very hopeful. We're good. We have the greatest quarterback there ever is."

A Super Bowl in California would have been nice — particularly for the 40th anniversary of a historic Super Bowl in New Orleans you might have heard of. But even though such was not to be, this season did give Bears fans something they haven't had in a while — real hope, especially with Ben Johnson at the helm.

Some say this season is comparable to the 1984 Bears season — the third under head coach Mike Ditka. That season, the Bears went 10-6 and made the playoffs for the first time in five years, but lost the NFC Championship Game to the San Francisco 49ers.

We all know what happened a season later.

Meanwhile, if this season is any indication, you may want to start saving your coins now. Bears tickets at Soldier Field next season won't come cheap.